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White Paper

This policy has lapsed.

This is a policy created under the old Standing Orders. Therefore, only the 'Resolves as a Matter of Union Policy' section is actually policy - the rest is simply advisory material.

Chapter 2 - Research
Research funding and the 6*
Whilst DSU welcomes the commitment to institutions of world-class research, it is also noted that funding will cease for departments achieving an RAE rating of less than 5. Currently the following departments in Durham achieve lower than 5 in this assessment: Computer Science, Geology , Middle Eastern Studies, Politics, Sociology and Social Policy, Sport, Music & East Asian Studies
If funding is revoked for these then their future could be in jeopardy.
This is an unacceptable proposition, because the diversity of subject choice is one of the strengths of the University of Durham.
A rating of 4, whilst not being the premier research rating, still reflect substantially high quality research, and it may be in a process of improvement, as many of these departments in Durham are.
DSU believes the correct remedy for a department less than 5 is support and investment rather than potential closure through withdrawal of central government funding.
DSU welcomes the introduction of the 6* as Durham is already a centre of research at an international standard in many subjects. However this cannot be done if its introduction would jeopardise promising but lower rated departments.
Promising Researcher Fellowships
DSU welcomes the proposal to increase the number of promising researcher fellowship as this will counteract the drain of top class researchers into industry and other countries.
Chapter 3 - HE and Business
Knowledge Exchanges
Devalues less research-intensive universities because it can be seen as a 'discount' source of information for businesses.
Devalues more research-intensive universities because it could undermine extensive corporate-backed research undertaken by institutions like Durham.
Foundation Degrees
Seem to be a fiddle to enable the 50% participation policy to be accomplished.
Chapter 4 Teaching and Learning
NUS Guide
Not all Students' Unions are members of NUS (such as UMIST and Imperial) and therefore couldn't be represented in this survey.
NUS doesn't have the resources to produce this survey
NUS didn't know anything about this survey until the White Paper was published.
DSU's concern is that the emphasis will be on member unions to produce the content of this, putting undue pressure on the resources of already cash-strapped Constituent Members of NUS.
Independent Adjudicator
The Durham Visitor System is widely held to be cheap, fast, fair and effective.
DSU notes that other institutions may not have a suitable Visitor System.
The new system will be longer and more costly, and not necessarily any more impartial.
The Visitor is dedicated to Durham University and so has knowledge of procedures and customs.
DSU believes that a system which is more time and resource consuming must not replace a current efficient system.
Therefore DSU believes that Universities should be given the choice as to whether or not to use the new adjudicator.
Professional Standards for Lecturers
This is a move which is welcomed because it would improve the quality and standards of teaching and disperse best practise.
Centres of Excellence
Durham already recognises excellent teaching. It funds its own teaching awards, and wins many national teaching fellowship awards as well.
The move to further recognise good teaching with additional funding has to be welcomed, so long as it isn't to the detriment of investing in improving departments and institutions.
Awarding of University Titles
This seems to be another attempt to degrade universities which base themselves on research.
This will create a two-tier university system more polarised than the current situation.
Chapter 5 - Expanding HE
50% Participation Target
DSU's policy remains that there can be no increase in numbers without an adequate increase in funding.
Foundation Degrees
DSU welcomes the expansion of Foundation Degrees as a route of access to Higher Education. There is a concern however, that possible insufficient differentiation between these courses and honours programmes will devalue the Bachelors degree. It may also make the Foundation programme inaccessible.
Chapter 6 - Encouraging Access
DSU welcomes initiatives to open access to Higher Education. This is founded on the principle that Access should be based on Academic Achievement rather than socio-economic status or postcode.
Promoting Attainment and Aspirations
DSU welcomes this, and welcomes the University's existing commitment to these projects.
Institutional Support Services
DSU welcomes this in principle, however urges the University to direct extra funding for financial support to DSU Advice Centre.
Second Chance Routes
DSU welcomes QAA modernisation of Access Courses. These provide a valuable route for Mature Students and people from non-traditional educational backgrounds.
Admissions Policies
DSU opposes the over-centralisation of admissions processes. This would undermine the college system.
DSU welcomes the move to transparent entry requirements
DSU is opposed to any arbitrary lowering of academic standards in order to attract students for the purposes of filling quotas.
Student Funding
The success of the reintroduction of the grant is somewhat tempered by the abolition of the Opportunity Bursary.
£1000 for families whose income is less than £10000 is so small that a single-parent family on the minimum wage, wouldn't benefit. The government has recently admitted that this is unrealistic, and that the figure of 30% benefiting is incorrect, raising questions about the thoroughness of the preparation of this paper.
Widening Participation Funding
The increase in the premium for recruitment from non-traditional backgrounds is welcomed, as this will further encourage Universities to open its doors.
Access Regulator
The move that participation should be secured before any fee increases can be levied is important. However the provisional structure of the Access Regulator will not necessarily take account of the individual circumstances of each institution.
DSU believes that it is not the sole responsibility of Higher Education Institutions to encourage applications and admissions out of students from lower socio-economic groups. We believe that it is the responsibility of
1. The Central Government
2. Local Government through the LEAs
Chapter 7 - Student Funding
Tuition Fees
DSU is opposed to the levying of fees on students for their Higher Education.
This White Paper will eliminate the removal of the Tuition Fee as an attainable goal on a national scale. It would therefore be more pertinent at this time, to discuss the various options in the White Paper.
The White Paper also signifies the end of free Higher Education, as no government grants will cover the full fee.
DSU believes that students already contribute significantly at the current level of tuition fees.
DSU is not prepared to tolerate differentiated fees at all because it introduces money, an irrelevant factor, into the choice of degree, and would also encourage elitism and create a multi-tier system of Higher Education institutions.
DSU believes that deferrment of fees is positive in principle, but the threshold for repayment should be set much higher and that the government is responsible for counteracting any decrease in participation due to perception of debt.
DSU supports the idea of retaining fees support, however believes £1100 to be too low, as it cannot cover the full fees.
DSU believes that introducing the new system in England only will be divisive and confusing for prospective students across the UK. It could also result in a 'cross-border exodus' of students going to Universities which have a fairer charging regime. This is already proving to be the case following the implementation of the Scottish funding system.
Personal Debt
DSU believes that it can be a positive step that the top-up fee will be solely a personal debt to the student, and that this will encourage independence amongst students.
It should be noted from the White Paper that the Government has removed the ability to discharge the debt on declaration of bankruptcy. This suggests that the government believes that some students will find this debt unmanageable.
DSU supports the reaffirmation of the interest rate on Student Loans being capped at the rate of inflation. DSU believes that it would be unfair to charge and more, as this would impose a disproportionate burden on students who taker longer to repay them.
DSU believes that outgoings should be taken into account when repayment thresholds are set.
DSU believes that the increase in the repayment threshold to £15000 offers no real-terms increase, when inflation over the period is factored-in.
DSU would like to seek assurances from the government that the student debt will not legally be permitted to count against them when applying for mortgages, or similar.
Higher Education Grant
DSU welcomes the reintroduction of the maintenance grant. This sees an extra £282.5 million being invested in the nation's future.
DSU believes that the £1000 will not be sufficient to overcome the perceived cost of education
DSU believes that the grant should reflect the true cost of going to University.
DSU would welcome being part of the review of the grant system in 2006/7
The Means Testing
DSU is uncertain about the proposal that step parents and partners will be considered in means testing, as there is no definition of partner (length of relationship, sexuality, cohabitation etc), and there is no suggested implementation structure.
DSU is also concerned that any system may change completely "in the context of the next spending review".
Part time students
DSU believes that for courses of at least 50% (17.5 hours per week), there are a number of positive proposals.
DSU believes a means tested grant for the fees of a part time student is a positive step along the road of life-long learning.
DSU welcomes the replacement of a £250 course cost loan with a grant.
DSU supports the inclusion of a childcare grant alongside these proposals.
Graduate Endowments
DSU notes the suggestion that graduates may wish to contribute more through a voluntary graduate tax system.
DSU believes that, should this system be implemented, all graduate MPs who pass the top-up fees proposal should be strongly encouraged to contribute via this system.
DSU believes this is a good idea as it increases opportunities for people to donate money to their University.
Preferred System of Higher Education Funding
DSU Believes that the following options, listed
here in order of preference, would be preferable methods of funding higher education:
1. That an increase in general taxation is the best option for funding improvements to Higher Education.
2. That introducing the Cubie system, as currently used in Scotland, is the best option for funding improvements to Higher Education.
3. That the creation of a graduate tax is the best option for funding improvements to Higher Education.
4. That an increase in national insurance is the best option for funding improvements to Higher Education.
5. Implementing the proposed system of funding, whilst abolishing the target of 50% participation in Higher Education, to allow increased funding per student, is the best option for funding improvements to Higher Education.
6. Maintaining the current system of funding, whilst abolishing the target of 50% participation in Higher Education, to allow increased funding per student is the best option for funding improvements to Higher Education.
7. That a non-differential increase (at more than the rate of inflation) to current tuition fees is the best option for funding improvements to Higher Education.
8. That maintaining the current system, in its entirety, is the best option for funding improvements to Higher Education.
9. That a differential increase to current tuition fees is the best option for funding improvements to Higher Education.
10. That complete government withdrawal from, and privatisation of, the Higher Education system, resulting in market-driven provision of HE is the best approach to improve higher education.

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